Lead-controller for valve-gear.



R. M. WIGGINS. LEAD CONTROLLER FOR VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, l9 0. 1,025, 175. 1 Patented May 7, 1912.

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R. M. WIGGINS. LEAD GONTBOLEEB. FOR VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1910. 1,025,175, Y Patented May 7,-1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

RICHARD M. WIGGINS, F TREN'I'ON, MISSOURI, LSSIG-N'OR 0F ONE HALF '10 E. B.

SHEETZ, OF TBENTON, MISSOURI.

LEAD-CONTROLLER FOR VALVE-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Application filed November 1, 1910. Serial No. 590,193.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. WIGGINS,

citizen of the United Statw, residing at may be controlled to increase or decrease the same, as desired, instead of maintaining a constant lead as in the structures now employed.

The invention has for another object to provide a radial gear of this type with a lead-controller adapted to increase and. decrease the lead of the valves to correspond to the rate of speed at which the engine is driven. Y

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve gear with a lead-controller operable from the locomotive cab, or from a convenient distance. from the valve gear, which does not necessitate the provisionv of additional valves and consequent extra valve gear, but which forms a simple attachment to the mechanism now commonly employed.

A further object of the invention is to produce a valve gear in the employment of which a better distribution, and hence a more economical consumption of steam is produced, thereby reducing the quantity of fuel and water otherwise required.

For av full understanding of the" 'nvention' reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved gear adjusted to increase the lead. Fig. 2 is a similar view disclosing the valves line in line, or completely closing the admission port. Fig. 3

IS a detail sectional view of a slight modification of the improved valve mechanism applied to a D-"lide valve.

.and 25 are dispose to regulate the passage of steam through the Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Iteferring to the drawings the numeral designates a cylinder of common form havin a head 11 on the crank end thereof carrying the outwardly extending guides 12. A piston 13 is disposed within the cylinder 10 and is provided with a piston rod 14: proj ecting outwardly through the head 11. The

ides 12 carry a cross-head 15 which is attached to the outer end of the piston rod 14. and to which is hinged one end of a connecting rod 16. The opposite end of the connecting rod 16 is carried upon a crankpin 17 in the usual manner. Keyed upon the crank-pin 17 is an eccentric arm 18 extending toward the center of rotation of the crank-pin 17 and terminating at one side of the same as is disclosed to advantage in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

- A reversing link 19 is mounted upon a saddle pin 20 at a point above and ad acent to the outer ends of the guides.12.' The link 19 is rocked upon the saddle pin 20 at a point above an adjacent to the outer ends of the guides 12. The link 19 is rocked upon the saddle pin 20 bya connecting rod 21 which is hinged at its opposite ends respectively upon the lower end of the link 19 and the inner end of the eccentricarm l8. The cylinder 10 is further provided, p'referably upon its upper side, with a steamchest 22 communicating with the cylinder 10- through the .ports 23 and 24 located respectively adjacent to the. crank and head ends offthe cylinder. S aced piston valves 25 in the steam-chest 22 orts 23 and 24. valve-rod 26 extends om the valves 25' and 25 through the crank end of the valve-chest 22 and is secured at its outer extremit to a sliding head 27 mounted u on a 'gui e-rod 28 carried bythe steam-c est 22. The guide-rod 28 is preferably of circular form and adapted for passage through a corres onding openin formed in the lower end 01 the head 27. floating lever 29 is hinged upon the sliding head 27 by a pin 30, engaging through the 28 adjacent toits outer end, and hingedly 'connected to the cross-head 15 carries the inner end ofa radius blade 33 extending toward the fixed link 31 of the lever 29.. Asliding'b lock 33 is mounted in the arcuate recess of the link 31 and is attached to the outerhend of the radius blade 33. A rocker shaft 34 is journaled above the connecting head 32 and carries'a bell-' crank lever 35 .iaving the horizontal arm thereof connected to the radius blade 33 b a hanger 36. The vertical armof the bel crank lever 35 is provided with a reach-rod 37 to which is attached a hand-lever 38 cooperating with a {quadrant 39 to adjust and y to hold the bell-crank lever 35 in various positions. 1 The connecting head 32 also hingedlycarriesqa radius rod 40 pivotally carrying, adjacent to'its outer end a sliding block 41 arranged Within the link 19. A

sleeve 42 is slidably disposed upon the outer end of the radius rod 40 and is attached to the horizontala'rm'of a bell-crank lever 43 adapted to slide the block 41 to the opposite sides-of the saddle-pin 20.

The lower end of the floatin lever 29 is %y a link 44 to swing the lower end of the floating lever in operating the valve-gear.

The operation of the valve mechanism is well-known wherein the eccentric arm moves in a circular path as indicated by the dotted line passing through its outer end to act in the capacity of an eccentric vibrating rod 21. The rod 21 swings the link 19 about the sad dle-pin 2O toimpart a lon'gitudinalreciproeating movement to the radius rod 40. The radius rod .40 r moves the radius blade 33 through the connecting head 32 and imparts a slight vibratory movement to the upper end'of the floating lever29. The lever 29 moves the head 27 longitudinally upon the guide-rod 28 and operates the valve-rod 26.

1 tially close the; inlet Referring to Fig; 1 it will be noted that the hanger 36- i's raised to draw the sliding block 33 into the extreme upper end of the arcuate slot of the link 31. In'this position,

the'valves'25 and 25 are moved so as to parport and advance the lead of the valves. In Fig. 2the hanger is moved down to hold'th'e block 33# *in'th'e lower. end of the link 31 so as to position the valves line in line or to completely close the inlet port 24. In this instance the lead ofthe valves is retarded and the exhaust port 23 is disclosedas being slightly open. It is readily seen that the hanger 36 may be adjusted into various vertical positions b means of'the hand-lever 38and the qua rant-39 to ad- 'steam to the Vance or retreat the valves 25 and 25 within the steam-chest 22 to increase or decrease the lead of the same.

It is believed that this attachment reatly i increases the efliciency of this form o valvegear, as the distribution of the steam can be regulated relative to the speed and power required of the engine.

Referring to Fig. 3 01 the drawings in which is disclosed a slightmodification of the device, the numeral 10" designates a cylinder having a steam-chest 22 at one slde thereof and communicating with the cylinder 10 through the ports 23 and 249. A D- slide valve 25 is arran ed within the steamchest 22 for controllin the passage of orts 23" an 24. A'valve-rod 26 extends om the valve 25 through the steam-chest 22 and has connection to a head 27 slidably disposed upon a guide-rod 28". A floating lever 29 depends in bin (1 relation from the head 27 and is provi ed adj acent to its opposite end with an open arcuate link 31. A connecting head 32 is slidably mounted upon the outer end of the guiderod 28 and carries a hinged radius blade 33 pivotally attached at its-outer end upon a sliding block 33 mounted for sliding engagement in the open link 31. A hanger 36 is attached to the radius blade 33 at its lower end and is carried upon an inverted bell-crank lever 35 adapted to raise and lower the hanger 36*. The lower end of the floating lever 29 is attached to the cross head 15 by a connecting link 44. The adjustment of this modified form of the device is practically similar to the preferred form, the difference simply residing in the specific arrangement of the arcuate open link on the floating lever and of the attachment thereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In a valve gear a floatin lever having an open link at one end, a va ve rod pivotally connected relative to said/link an outer head movable toward and awa om said lever, a blockslidable in the link of said leflver, a'radius blade pivoted res ectivel to said outerhe ad and the block c said oating lever link, a reversing link swingingly supported, a block slidable in said reversm link, another radius blade pivoted to sai reversing link block and to said outer head and independent means for adjusting. sai radius blades. 2. In a valve gear a guide rod, an inner head slidable upon said rod, a valve rod connected to said inner head, a floating lever including an arcuate link swinging upon said inner head, means ad'a ted to connect said lever for movement by't cross head of .an engine, an outer headslidable upon said rod, a block slidable in the arcuate link of said floating lever, a radius blade ivoted respectively to said floating lever block and to said outer head, a crank operative In testimon where0f,.I aifix my signature by the crank shaft of an engine, a reversing in presence 0 two Witnesses. link, a rod pivotedrespectively to said reversing link and to said crank, a block slid- RICHARD M. WIGGINS. [L. 5.] 5 able in said reversing link, a radius blade givoted respectively to said reversing link Witnesses:

lock and to said outer head, and inde end- ALVINA L. KEITH, ent means for adjusting said link bloc E. R. SHEETZ. 

